A hip flexor strain is a stretch or tear of a muscle in your hip. You use the hip flexor muscles when you flex or lift your knee, do high kicks, or bend at the waist.

What is the cause?

Your muscles can get strained from overuse. You may be more likely to have hip flexor strain if you are a cyclist, an athlete who jumps or runs with high knee kicks, or an athlete who does forceful kicking activities, like in soccer or the martial arts.

You will need to change or stop doing the activities that cause pain until your muscles have healed. For example, you may need to swim instead of cycle or run.

Your healthcare provider may recommend stretching and strengthening exercises and other types of physical therapy to help you heal.

A mild strain may heal within a few weeks. A more severe strain may take 6 weeks or longer.

How can I take care of myself?

To help relieve pain:

Put an ice pack, gel pack, or package of frozen vegetables wrapped in a cloth on the sore area every 3 to 4 hours for up to 20 minutes at a time.

Do ice massage. To do this, freeze water in a Styrofoam cup, then peel the top of the cup away to expose the ice. Hold the bottom of the cup and rub the ice over the painful area for 5 to 10 minutes. Do this several times a day while you have pain.

Take nonprescription pain medicine, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Read the label and take as directed. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, may cause stomach bleeding and other problems. These risks increase with age. Unless recommended by your healthcare provider, do not take an NSAID for more than 10 days.

Moist heat may help relax your muscles. Put moist heat on the sore area for 10 to 15 minutes at a time before you do warm-up and stretching exercises. Moist heat includes heat patches or moist heating pads that you can buy at most drugstores, a wet washcloth or towel that has been heated in a microwave or the dryer, or a hot shower. Don’t use heat if you have swelling.

What activities you should avoid and when you can return to your normal activities

How to take care of yourself at home

What symptoms or problems you should watch for and what to do if you have them

Make sure you know when you should come back for a checkup.

How can I prevent a hip flexor strain?

Warm-up exercises and stretching before activities can help prevent injuries. If your hip or thigh hurts after exercise, putting ice on it may help keep it from getting injured. When you ride a bicycle, make sure the seat is at the right height for you.

This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.